Fools Need Not Apply

Psalms 14:1 (KJV) [[To the chief Musician, [A Psalm] of David.]] The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

(Proverbs 14 also read)

This verse along with Psalm 51 and Romans 3 get me scratching my head every time.  I work it through and then the next time I see it I have to figure it again.  The popular interpretation of this verse does not work.  I know it seems to say that there is no one who ever has done anything right or good, but that doesn’t work with the rest of the chapter.

Take verse five,

Psalms 14:5 (KJV) There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

If no one does good, how can there be a righteous generation?

Today my solution comes with re-reading verse one and concluding that the ones who are corrupt and the ones who have no good in them are the fools described at the beginning of the verse.  People who say that there is no God are incapable of doing good.

So?  However, you interpret the verse, keep in mind that God has called us to live righteous and holy lives not to sin more so that grace may abound more.  I read that somewhere.  

Keep Reading

(Psa 14:3 KJV)  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

(Proverbs 12 also read)

This verse and others like it are often quoted by people who want to explain why it is not a big problem for them to live in sin.  They like to quote references to grace and then point out that the Bible says we cannot be righteous, thus they cannot be expected to go without sinning.  When you read this verse and the ones like it your argument seems to make sense.

Like many theological and “Biblical” positions it is hard to scoop water with a sieve.  It is not hard to see a conflict in this thinking.  In this case all you need to do is read two more verses.

(Psa 14:5 KJV)  There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

If there is no one who does good then how can God be in a righteous generation?

So?  The real question in issues like this is the desire of your heart.  If you are looking for excuses to live with sin, you will find them.  At some stages of your spiritual walk it can be because of listening to the wrong people and not having enough Bible under your belt to know better.  If you are further down the road expect God to cock an eyebrow and look at you askance.  God is holy and does not play games.